Jeremiah repeatedly w rned that Babylon would conquer and destroy Jerusalem. It finally happened—Jerusalem fell, with awful destruction. Perhaps understandably, the conquerors treated Jeremiah better than his own people had. But, allowed to go anywhere he chose, he decided to stay with the poor Israelites who were left behind in the ruined city.

• Jeremiah must have felt quite a range of emotions during these events. He wrote that his nation’s fate broke his heart (Jeremiah 8:18-22). Yet amid sorrow and ruin, he was set free. How have you learned to find blessings even in the darkest times? Each day share your gratitude for God’s presence in good and bad times with someone close to you.
• Sometimes we can see a hard time coming, as Jeremiah did. An illness slowly takes a loved one, or financial problems mount until we face bankruptcy. We may pray over and over—as ountless Jews must have prayed for the defeat of the Babylonians. How can dark times deepen your relationship with God rather than destroying it?